When you rent an apartment you live differently than in a hotel. You shop, you cook some nights and go out others, you plan the day around the sea rather than the breakfast room. This guide is written for that.
Our family has been renting apartments in Taormina since 2002, five in the historic centre and two on the bay at Mazzarò. What follows is where we send guests: the market we buy fish at, the osteria worth the wait, the beach that works when the wind is wrong, and how to move between the town and the water without a car.
Half the pleasure of an apartment is the kitchen. Taormina's centre has no large supermarket, so knowing where to go saves you an afternoon. Here's our actual routine.
Fish, fruit and vegetables, mornings only — get there before 10 or the good fish is gone. This is where we buy for ourselves.
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The butcher for a proper Sicilian grill: ask for involtini and salsiccia al finocchietto, and tell them you're cooking that evening.
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Small, central, open when the market isn't — right for water, milk, pasta and the things you forgot.
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The full weekly shop, and the only sensible option if you're staying a week or more with a family.
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Bread in the morning, focaccia at midday. Ask for Pane di Castelmola if they still have it.
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Where to buy the olive oil, capers and wine you'll want to take home — and a decent bottle for tonight.
View on map →From family-run osterias to the best granita in Sicily, here is our personal shortlist of restaurants, pizzerias, bars and late-night spots in Taormina.
Fish bought that morning, cooked simply, in a low wood-beamed room. Book — it's small.
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Honest cooking and a real wine list. The one we send people to when they can't decide.
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Open all day, which matters when you've been at the beach until four and everything else is shut.
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Traditional recipes handled with a lighter touch. Good for the evening you want to eat properly.
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Small, family-run, unchanged. Regulars at the bar, no concessions to anyone.
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Shop and tasting room in one — go for a light lunch, then buy the cheese for dinner at home.
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The garden is genuinely beautiful. Book ahead if you want to sit outside; everyone does.
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Bruschetta and a glass of Sicilian wine, standing up, full of locals. The aperitivo stop.
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Seafood on the beach at Mazzarò — a two-minute walk if you're staying at Casa Salina or Blue Bay, a cable car ride if you're not.
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Restaurant and pizzeria together, with a garden that comes into its own in summer.
View on map →From the Ancient Theatre to a day on Mount Etna, here is how to spend your time in and beyond Taormina — most of it within easy reach of our apartments.
This remarkably well-preserved Greco-Roman theatre is Taormina's most iconic sight, with sweeping views over the coastline and Mount Etna from the stands.
Taormina's pedestrian main street, lined with boutiques, cafés and historic palazzi — the natural starting point for exploring the town.
A small nature reserve island reached via the Funivia cable car, with clear water for swimming and scenic paths to explore at low tide.
A quiet, beautifully landscaped Victorian garden with panoramic sea views and unusual plant life — a peaceful break from the busier streets.
See Taormina's coastline from the water, with stops at hidden coves and sea caves not accessible on foot.
A charming hilltop village above Taormina, reached by a scenic hike or short bus ride, with panoramic views and a distinctly traditional atmosphere.
A guided day trip to Europe's largest active volcano — dramatic lava-field landscapes and a look at the geology that shapes this part of Sicily.
Visit the real filming locations around Taormina and the surrounding villages used in the classic film.
Dramatic basalt rock formations carved by the Alcantara River, with cool waters that are a welcome escape on a hot Sicilian afternoon.
Learn to make traditional Sicilian dishes from scratch using local ingredients — then sit down and enjoy what you've cooked.
Visit vineyards on the slopes of Etna or nearby to taste the distinctive, mineral-driven wines the region is known for.
Explore the marine life along Taormina's coastline, from easy snorkeling spots to dive sites for the more experienced — ideal if you're staying at one of our beachside apartments in Mazzarò.
Taormina's beaches are not interchangeable. Wind, crowds and the kind of shore change what works on a given day.
Pebbles, deep clear water, lidos and bars. Our two beachside apartments are here; from town it's a few minutes by cable car.
The postcard. Small, crowded by eleven in August, best early or late in the day. Nature reserve, so bring shoes for the stones.
Quieter than Mazzarò and easier with children. Reachable by bus from Taormina in fifteen minutes.
Taormina's center is largely pedestrian, so here's how to reach it — and get to the beach or nearby villages — whether you're staying uphill or right on the coast.
A shuttle runs every 10 minutes from 6:30 AM to 1:30 AM, connecting the Lumbi parking area with the town center — the easiest option if you're arriving by car.
View on map →The main bus station for regional connections, including routes to the airport, Catania, Giardini Naxos and Castelmola.
View on map →Connects the town center with Mazzarò beach and Isola Bella, running every 15 minutes from 8:00 AM to 1:30 AM — the fastest link between our city-center and beachside apartments.
View on map →The main taxi rank, near Porta Messina — useful for local trips and transfers.
View on map →A scenic stairway from Portella Saracena climbing up to Castelmola — a challenging but rewarding walk with beautiful views along the way.
View on map →A pleasant stairway from Via Pirandello down to Isola Bella, connecting the town center directly with the coast.
View on map →A convenient bus service to Castelmola departing from Piazza San Pancrazio, for a comfortable ride up to the hilltop village.
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